Numerous types of moldings intended to be attached to an automobile body, notably via clipping over the heads of rigid studs protruding from the surface of this body, exist. Such moldings are used, in particular, for automobile underbody weather seal joints or for dirt deflecting joints. They am generally produced by extrusion or co-extrusion of one or several thermoplastic materials and they can contingently comprise an imbedded metal reinforcement in one of the of the extruded materials.
The known moldings of this type are generally made of a relatively hard material, permitting clipping, under pressure, over the head of rigid studs having a T-shape cross section, provided for this purpose on the surface of the automobile body, on the head of which they are attached.
In its French Application for Patent 93 00219, of Jan. 13, 1993, the applicant proposed moldings for this purpose, in which the body of the molding is made of a relatively flexible polymeric material, an elastomer for example, whereas the portions intended to be engaged via clipping under the head of the studs are made of a harder polymeric material, for example of a polyolefin base, cross-linked or not, and are co-extruded with the body of the molding.
The moldings described in this previous application comprise:
a body made of a first polymeric material, this body including two tubular portions intended to be fitted on both sides of the studs, these tubular portions being connected by a portion forming a bridge, intended to be fitted over the heads of the studs, and PA1 each contiguous with a flexible wall of one of the tubular portions and protruding with respect to the latter under the bridge-forming portion, in a position such that they may be clipped under the head of the studs, two lips made of the second polymeric material having a hardness higher than that of the first material, the body and the two lips resulting from a single co-extrusion operation. PA1 on one hand, a body made of first thermoplastic polymeric material, this body having a C-shape cross section and being intended to cover the head of the studs, with the concave portion of the C turned towards the studs, and PA1 on the other hand, contiguous with each of the ends of the edges of the body having a C-shape cross section and intended to protrude in opposite directions under the concave portion of the C, in order to be engaged under the head of the stud, two hard lips made of a second thermoplastic material with a hardness higher than that of the first, PA1 the body and the two hard lips resulting from a single co-extrusion operation.
Because the lips intended to be clipped are contiguous with a flexible wall of a tubular portion, these walls can be deformed laterally, when placing the molding over the studs, or be separated from each other, to then return to their initial position via elasticity.
The present invention relates to setting forth moldings derived from those for which the characteristics have just been described, but which no longer comprise tubular portions and are therefore easier to produce than the latter.
The invention also has the aim of setting forth moldings derived from those described above but which, because of the absence of the tubular portions, are not fitted on the studs by deformation of a flexible wall of these portions, but by exerting pressure on a bridge-forming portion placed above the heads of the studs.